Starter for electric motors.



V. & V. E. ROYLE.

STARTER FOR ELECTRIC MOTORS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 25, 1910.

1,032,708, Patented July 16, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

V. & V. E. BOYLE.

STARTER FOR ELECTRIC MOTORS. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 25, 1910.

1,032,708. manned July 16, 1912.

V. & V. E. BOYLE.

STARTER FOR ELECTRIC MOTORS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.25, 1910.

1,032,708. Y Patented July 16, 1912.

3 SHEETS sHEET 3.

Mam was UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VERNON BOYLE AND VERNON E. RQYLE, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY.

STARTER FOR ELECTRIC MOTORS.

, osavos.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, VERNON Born: and VnnNcN E. lloYLn, citizens of the United States, and residents of Paterson, in the county", of Passaic and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Starter for Electric Motors, of which the following is a specification.

further contemplates means for mechanically controlling the op' erating switch, which means .is so con structed and arranged that it may be manipulated by the unskilled as well as the skilled without danger of burning out contacts and without any unnecessary waste of electric energy.

A practical embodiment of our invention is represented in the accompanying drawings in which,

Figure 1 represents in perspective a machine pillar with the starting unit in opera tive position thereon, Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the starting unit in side elevation,

showing the means for mechanically con-- .trolling the operating switch in. the position which it assumes to close the operating switch. Fig. 3 is a front view of the same, the cover of the housing being removed.

- F ig.4 is a view of the same in side elevation,

showing themeans for controlling the operating switch in the position which it assumes when the switch is open. Fig. 5 is a view of the same in rear elevation, showing the bracket therein for attaching the unitto the pillar of the machine. Fig. 6 is a partial section taken from front to rear in the plane of the line A A of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a diagrammatical view showing the electric connections. Fig. 8 is a view in perspective showing the unit attached to a pillar, the means for controlling the operating switch being adapted to manipulation by the foot Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 1 6, 1912..

I Application filed November 25, 1910. Serial No. 594,171.

of the operator instead of the hand as 1n Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive. Fig. 9 is an enlarged view of-the unit in front elevation, the front ofthe housing being removed. Fig. 10 is a view of thesame in side elevation, show ing the means for mechanically controlling the operating switch in the position which it assumes when the switch is closed, and Fig.

11 is a similar view showing the means for mechanically controlling the operating switchv in the position which it assumes when the switch is open.

1 represents the pillar of a machine-to which the starting unit is to be attached for electrically operating the machine. The nature of the machine is immaterial so far as our present invention is concerned, the pillar 1 being illustrated for the purpose of indicating any machine frame to which itmay be desired to secure the unit;

The housing for the unitconsists of a box 2 provided with a removable front 3. The box is here shown oblong in form and is made of such dimensions as will snugly contain the several parts in assembled adjustment for starting purposes. The box may be made of suitable material, preferably of cast metal, the walls being made as thin as supporting the parts.

For convenience in attaching the housing or boX to a machine frame, we provide a skeleton bracket, shown clearly in Fig. 5, the bracket being of triangular form with screw-threaded spckets 4, 5, 6, at its apexes for receiving supporting screws through the consistent with the requisite strength for wall of the pillar 1 and with perforated eX- tensions 7, 8, 9, projecting from the apexes of the bracket for receiving screws l0, l1 and 12, for securing the bracket to the back of the housing.

Within the housing there is fixed a controlling solenoid 13, a lifting solenoid 14:, and a three-armed current regulating switch 15, fulc-rumed at 16 on a stationary support, one arm of the switch being pivoted to the core of the solenoid 13, an opposite arm in position to receive the weight I of the core of the solenoid 14, and'a third arm 17 position to open and close connection with a terminal 18 as the switch is rocked. r

The two solenoids referred to above. together with the three-armed switch and terminal 1S and the line switch, denoted in the present instance by 19, are so far as their electrical arrangement and operation are concerned, quite similar to thatshown, de scribed and claimed in Letters Patent No. 891,721 granted to W. C. OBrien, June 23, 1908, our present invention being directed to an operating switch introduced into one of the line wires and housed with the said solenoids and their three-armed switch and to mechanism supported by and exterior to the housing for mechanically controlling the said operating switch;

' The wiring shown in the diagrammatic view Fig. 7, is quite similar in its effect to that shown in the patentaforesaid, the motor in said diagrammatic view being denoted by 2Q, its armature by 21, its field by 22, the resistance coils by 23, and the line wires by 24 and 25. One of the line wires,

for instance, the line wire 25, is broken and the ends of the break are electrically connected with binding posts 26, 27, set in the side wall of the housing 2, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 and insulated from the housing.

A gravity switch, here shown as in the form of a bell crank lever, is pivotally secured at 28, to a bracket 29 Within the housing 2 and in electric connection with the binding post 26. One arm 30 of said switch is in a .position to drop into electrical contact with the, binding post 27, as shown in Fig. 3, when it is permitted to do so, while the other arm 31 of said switch is weighted, either by being made sufficiently heavy or by the addition of a weight thereto, as the.

case may be most convenient, in the present instance the arm being shown provided with -a weight 32.

Ashaft 33 extends from the exterior of the housing 2, along within a socket bearing 34 to the exterior of the housing where it is provided with a laterally projecting arm 35 of suitable insulating material, which arm 35 extends under the arm 31 of the bell crank switch in position to lift the arm into the position shown in dotted lines Fig. 3, when the shaft 33 is rocked in one direction and to permit it to rock it into the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3, when the shaft 33 is rocked in the opposite direction.

Exterior to the housing 2, the shaft 33 is provided with an'operating lever 36 fixed thereon, the said lever projecting forwardly as shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, where it is provided with a handle 37 to receive the hand of the operator. The said lever 36 and its handle 37 are 'pivotally connected at 38, the said handle portion being provided with an extension 39, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, which, when the handle portion 37 is pressed downwardly, engages a lug 40 on the lever 36, causing the two parts to be depressed together, but when the handle part 37 is lifted itwill rock independently of the part 36. This independent rocking handle portion 37 is provided with a downwardly projecting part 41 at its pivot end.

-the end of which part- 41 is in a position to engage an arm 42 of a bell crank lever pivotcd at 43, and thereby lift the other arm 44 of the bell crank lever sufficiently to raise its latch portion 45 out of engagement with a keeper 46 on the downwardly projected arm 47 on the shaft 33. The portion 47 is connected by a. spring 48 with the arm 42 of the bell crank so that the moment the latch 45is disengaged from the keeper 46, the downwardly extending arm 47 on the shaft 33- will be drawn forwardly toward the arm 42, thereby lifting the lever 36 and its handle 37 into the position shown in Fig. 4, and rocking the shaft 33 in a direction to lift the bell crank operating switch into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, that is, into its open position.

In operation, suppose the line switch 19 to be closed and the lever 36 with its handle 37 to be in the position shown in Fig. 4, with the bell crank operating switch shown in Fig. .3 open in the position shown in dotted lines. Although the line switch 19 is closed, the machine will not-operate until the bell crank gravity or operating switch within the housing is allowed to drop into position with its arm 30 in engagement with the binding post 27. The operator to start his machine presses down on the handle 37, thereby rocking the shaft 33 in a direction to permit the arm 31 of the bell crank gravity switch to fall and the arm 30 to move toward the contact post 27. The operator continues the downward movement of the handle 37 until the arm 47 is locked by the latch 45, and in this position the break in the line .wire 25 will be closed and the motor will be set in operation.

Then the operator is through with a piece of work or desires momentarily to stop the machine on which he is working to examine the work or the like, he may stop the use of electrical current during the longer or shorter time that the machine is not required to work, by simply lifting on the handle 37, the rocking of said handle 37 on its pivot 38 serving to push forward the arm 42 of the bell crank lever, releasing the latch 45 from the arm 47 and permitting the sprlng 48 to pull the arm 47 forward and hence rock the shaft 33 in a direction to lift the arm 31 of the gravity operating switch and break the current flowing through the line wire 25. I

In the form shown in Figs 8 to 11 inclusive, the parts are quite similar to those already described save only the arrangement of the lever for operating the shaft 33 so the two parts, the pedal and the body 49 will move together when the operating lever is swung backw'ardly into position to close the gravity operating switch. The pedal 50, like the handle 37, is free to rock in the opposite direction independently of the body portion 49, and is provided with a horn or branch 54, which, as the pedal 50 is pressed forward, lifts the latch on a bell crank arm out of engagement with a keeper 57 on the body 49, and permits the latter to spring forward under the tension of the spring 58, which spring is connected at one end to the body of the operating lever 49 and at the opposite end to the upwardly eX- tending short arm 59 of the bell crank lever pivoted at (30. To operate this mechanism, the operator presses his toe against the pedal -50, when it is in the position shown in Fig.

11, with the shaft 33 rocked in a direction to open the gravity operating switch, pushing the said pedal and together with it, the lever '40, back into the position shown in Fig. 10, thereby rocking the shaft 33 in a direction to allow the arm 31 of the gravity switch to fall, thereby closing theline wire and starting the motor. When the operator desires to stop the motor, he places his toe back of the pedal 50, pulling it forward sufiiciently to release the latch 55 from its keeper 57, thereby allowing the lever 49 to spring back into the position shown in Fig. 11, to open the gravity switch and stop the motor.

The bell crank lever is provided with on and oif stops to limit its throw in both directions. These stops are denoted in the first instance, by 61,-62, and in the form where the operating lever is worked by the foot, by 63, (34. The housing 2 is provided with ventilating openings 65, (36, covered by suitable screens.

In both forms shown, whet-her operated by hand or by foot, the operating lever is a two-part lever, one portion of which is free to swing in one direction independently of the other portion, while the two are so interlocked as to swing together in the opposite direction, and in both forms, the said operating lever is under spring tension to throw it in a direction to open the switch, and in both, this spring tension is exerted between the operating lever or an extension thereof, and a bell crank lever, the latter being provided with a latch to engage a keeper on the operating lever oran extension thereof.

The structure is one which provides for asimple and positive manipulation of an operating switch,'while the latter is completely housed where it will not be affected by dust and foreign matter and where it cannot be 'meddled with, and the mechanical means for controlling this operating switch are-such that it will be positively thrown intoa full open posit-ion whenever it is open at aili. This simple and convenient arrangement for using the toe when the hands are occupied, or the hand when more convenient to do so, provides for universal application of the unit, the pedal mechanism being readily interchangeable for the hand mechanism on the shaft 33 andthe pivot 43 or (30, the whole constituting a compact assemblage of parts suitable for attachment to any machine and requiring only the connection of the line wires.

What we claim is:.

1. A starter for electric motors comprising in addition to the starting mechanism proper, an operating switch for opening and closing the line, a spring actuated latch and a jointed lever arranged to cooperate with the. latch for controlling the operating switch.

2. A starter for electric motors including in addition to the starter proper, an operat ing switch for opening and closing the line, a lever forcontrolling the operating switch and a lever provided with on and off stops for controlling the swing of the operating lever.

3. A starter for electric motors comprising in addition to the starter proper, an operating switch for opening and closing the line, a jointed lever for controlling the said operating switch and a latch lever arranged to co-act with the said jointed lever to hold it in position.

4. A starter for electric motors comprising in addition to the starter proper, an operating switch for opening and closing the line, a rock shaft provided with an arm for controlling the operating switch, a jointed lever for operating the rock shaft and a latch lever co-acting with the jointed lever for holding it in position.

5. A starter for electric motors comprising in addition to the starter proper, a gravity operating switch for opening and closing the line, a rock shaft provided with an arm for opening the said gravity switch, a jointed lever for operating the rock shaft and a latch lever connected with the joint-- ed lever by a spring for operating the ointed lever and hence the shaft.

6. A starter for electric motors comprising in addition to the starter proper, an

operating switch, a rock shaft provided with an arm for controlling the operating switch, a jointed lever for operating the shaft, a bell crank lever, a spring connecting the two levers, one of the levers being provided with a latch and the other of said levers with a keeper for engaging the latch, the said levers being arranged to coact to hold the said rock shaftin different rocked positions.

7. A starter for electric motors comprising a starting unit consisting of a housing provided with an exteriorly located switch, a starter proper, and an operating switch within the housing and suitable means eX- terior to and supported by the housing for cont-rolling the operating switch from with out the housing.

8. A starter for electric motors consisting of a starting unit including a ventilated housing, a line switch exteriorly located thereon, a starter proper, and an operating switch assembled within the housing, and mechanical means supported by the housing and exterior thereto for controlling the operating switch.

9. A starter for electric motors comprising a suitable housing, a starter proper and an operating switch assembled within the housing, insulated connections extending through the wall of the housing and provided exterior to the housing with binding posts for connecting a line wire and having portions projecting within the housing in position to be brought into contact with the operating switch and mechanical means exterior to the housing for controlling the said operating switch.

In testimony, that ,we claim the foregoing as our invention, we have signed our names in presence of two witnesses, this seventh day of November A. D. 1910.

VERNON BOYLE. VERNON E. BOYLE. Witnesses:

BEULAH LooKwooD, FRED T. KENNEDY. 

